Calculating machine



P 1942- J. L. MOODY CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR John L. Moody ATTORNEY April 14, 1942. J. L. MOODY CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi u w Q m Y 0 E a W M NTM MN m a h n V m-HFHH w R R m Patented Apr. 14, 1942 CALCULATING MACHINE John L. Moody, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Friden Calculating Machine Co., Inc., a corporation of California Application December 16, I940, Serial No. 370,291

4 Claims.

This invention relates to calculating-machines and is concerned more particularly with the provision of an improved control means for releas- Figure 1 is a sectional elevational viewof part of the control mechanism of a calculating machine; v

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view partially in section illustrating the relation of the full cycle lock to a portion of the actuating means;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of a part of the full cycle lock disabling means; 2 Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the full cycle-lock mechanism taken as indicated by the line 44 in Figures 1 and 3.

In cyclicallyv operable calculating machines generally and especially with those of the Thomas type, as selected for illustration herein, the effective number of degrees in a com plete revolution which can be employed, is controlled by the timing of the full cyclelock mechanism. Particularly at the end of the cycle, the

time at which the full cycle lock mechanism becomes ineifective limits the number of transfer orders which can be employed in the machine, and the later in the cycle that the lock becomes ineffective the greater the number of transfer orders. division mechanism of the character shown in the above mentioned Friden patent and application, the shifting between positive and negative settings of the plus-minus gate occurs .during continuous operation of the actuating mechanism. As a result.the full' cycle lock mechanism must change its conditioning from positive to negativeand vice versa"on the fly." Consequently, when the lock is of the character em-- stantial' clearance is avoided when thefull cycle lock is disabled during division when, because of,,the automatic control of the position of the plus-minus gate, operation of the full cycle lock is not required. Consequently, by eliminating -the operation of the full cycle lock in division,

the width of the notch can-be substantially decreased and correspondingly the number of useful degrees in the cycle of operation can be increased. This enables the provision of additional transfer orders in the machine.

In the embodiments selected for illustration, the present invention is shown as adapted to a calculating machine of the well-known Thoma-s" type, as shown for example in I the copending applications of Carl M. Friden, Ser. No. 724,482, filed May 8, 1934 (U. S. Letters Patent 2,229,889 issued January 28, 1941), and Ser. No. 35,619, filed August 10, 1935. Generally, such machines comprise a uni-directionally operable actuating means by means of which values are introduced in the regster either positively or negatively by the setting of a conventional form of plus-minus gears. A portion of the register comprising numera-l wheel gears 8 and shafts 9 is shown in Figure 2. The plus-minus gears are indicated at III in. Figures 2 and 4. The setting of the gears back and forth from a centraineutral position is controlled by means of a strap .II which engages the gears to effect shifting movement thereof and is mounted by means of a plurality of arms I2 on a rockable shaft I3. Shaft I 3 also carries exteriorly of one of the side frame plates I4 9. control arm I6. The arm I6 is shown in Figure 1 in its central neutral position where the plus-,minus gears are disengaged from the associated numeral wheel gears. For effecting rock- I ing movement of the arm I6 and shaft I3 from In Thomas type machines embodying i the position as shown in Figure 1, the arm I6 is connected to a; plus-minus slide I! which is mounted for endwise movement in either direction under the control, for example, of the plus and minus keys I8 and I9. 7

In order toinsure completion of a registration during a cycle of movement of the actuating means, full cycle lock mechanism is provided for holding the plus-minus gears in adjusted position until the end or until near the end of the cycle, one of the actuating shafts 2| (Figures 2 and 4) is provided with alocking disc 22 which, as seen in Figure 4, has a cutaway portion 23. Figure 4 illustrates the full-cycle position of the parts. Cooperating with the cutaway portion 23 1s a spring-urged locking pin 24 having a rounded end disposed within the cutaway portion 23 in the central neutral position of the plus-minus sion of spring 25 ifthe disc 22 is rotated with the plus-minus gears in such neutral position. Upon setting of the plus-minus gears in either direction from their central neutral position, pin

24' has its nose disposed to one side or the other of the disc 22, and upon subsequent operation of the actuating means and the rotation of shaft 2| and disc 22 retains the plus-minus gears in rocked position until the notched portion 23 of disc 22 again reaches its full cycle position.

The pin 22 'is slidably mounted in arms l2 and I6 as explained above and is provided at its rearward end with adjustable stop nuts 21.

A suitable form of division control mechanism is provided in the machine including a manually operable division starting key or lever 3| which is pivoted at 32 on the frame plate 33 and engages at its lower end the roller 31 on a division setting slide 35. Slide 35 is mounted for endwise movement and can be moved from the position shown in Figure 1 against the urgency of its spring 36. The pin 31 carried by the slide 35 engages a setting or connecting lever 33 of the division control mechanism. Lever 38 is pivoted at 33 on a cam follower arm 4| pivoted at 42 on the frame plate 33 and engaging a division controlling cam 43. Cam 43 operates in a known manner during division to control the position of the arm 4| and connecting lever 38.

Upon movement of the division lever 3| in a clockwise Ldirection from the position shown in Figure 1, it operates through the slide 35 to rock connecting lever 38 in the clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 1. Such rocking movement of the connecting lever 38 serves to engage its notched end 42 with pin 46 on the plus-minus slide H. The parts are latched in this position by means of a suitable latch lever 45 (Figure 3) engaging pin t! on connecting lever 38. This mechanism is conventional and is shown in the above mentioned applications.

cycle lock during the division operation. The bell crank connecting lever 38 carries a cam extension 5| '(Figures 3 and 4) having a bevelled face for operative engagement with a cam end 52 of a fork 53. Fork 53 is pivotally mounted on pins 5t carried by spacer 56 mounted on pivotpin 5i which provides the connection between arm Hi and the plus-minus slide H. The forked portion of the member 53 engages the adjusting nuts 21, so that upon upward movement of the cam end 5|, fork 53 is rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure '4 to move pin 24 against the urgency of its spring 25 until its end is withdrawn from the notched portion 23 of the full cycle lock disc 22. This condition of the part obtains as long as the division control mechanism is latched in position by means of the latch lever "and pin 41 (Figure 1). At the end of the division operation latch lever is disabled in any convenient manner, for example as shown in said applications. In this manner connecting lever 33 and cam extension 5| move downwardly to release fork 53 and full cycle lock pin 24..

mechanism for insuring complete registration I during each cycle on said numeral wheels by said actuating means, said lock mechanism including a notched locking disc driven in time with said actuating means and a spring-urged locking member having a portion disposed in said notch in the full cycle position of said disc, said pin being movable to one side of said disc during registration on'said register, a manually operable key, and means settable by said key for withdrawing said pin to render said full cycle lock mechanism ineffective.

2. In a calculating machine having a register, actuating means for said register, and settable plus-minus gears for determining positive and negative registration on said register by said actuating means, said gears being settable from a central inactive position in either direction to cause said registration selectively; a notched disc driven by a part of said actuating means, a spring-urged locking pin cooperatively related to ,said disc and movable to either side of said disc through the notched portion thereof in accordance withthe setting of said plus-minus gears, a manually operable key, and means controlled by said key for moving said pin out of operative'relation with said disc.

3. In a calculating machine having a register,

actuating means for said register, settable plusminus gears for determining'positive and negative registration on said register by said actuating gears and normally effective to maintain said gears in adjusted position through a complete cycle, said locking mechanism including a member spring urged to active position, and means settable by said key for withdrawing said springvurged member whereby to render said locking mechanism ineffective during operations initiated by said key.

t. In a calculating machine having a register, actuating means for said register, settable plusminus gears for determining positive and negative registration on said register by said actuating means, and division control mechanism including power driven cam means for controlling the setting of said plus-minus gears and a manually operable key for initiating a division operation; full cycle lock mechanism associated with said actuating means and said settable plus-minus gears and normally effective to maintain said gears in adjusted position through a complete cycle, said locking mechanism including a-memher spring-urged to active position, said division control mechanism also including a member setber upon movement thereof to active position for withdrawing said spring-urged locking member.

JOHN L. MOODY, 

